stern



JLULC (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. P. K. STERN. ELEGTRIGALTRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. No. 564,262.

Patented July 21, 1896.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

P. K. STERN. BLEOTRIGAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. No. 564,262.

Patented July 21, 1896.

x X v iii it: I", "$4? Azaamz Q/ZZZ (No Model.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4. P. K. STERN. ELECTRICAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

No. 564,262. Patented July 21, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PHILIP K. STERN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR- OF ONE-HALF TO H. \V.KIRCHNER, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRICAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent-N0. 564,262, dated July 21,1896.

' Application filed October 7, 1895. Serial No. 564,911. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, PHILIP K. STERN, a oi tizen of the United States,residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in an Electrical TransportationSystem, of which the following is afull,clear, and exactdescrip- 'tion,reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, wherein- Figure 1 is a top plan view of an improved formof truck designed to be used in connection with my system. Fig. 2 is aside elevational View of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectionalview through the truck. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view through thetruckwheels and axle, showing the driving and clutch mechanism. Fig. 5is an enlarged sectional view through the armature, which is mounted onthe car, showing the primaries and feed-wires in the road-bed beneath.Fig. 6 is a schematic view of the primaries showing means for cuttinginand cutting out sections thereof. Fig. 7 is a sectional view through amodified form of primaries, and means for cutting in and cutting outdifferent sections thereof. Fig. 8 is a schematic view of the same. Fig.9 is a detail view of the switch for the primary sections and itscontrolling medium.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a system ofelectrical transportation; and it consists, generally stated, inarranging along a route or line of travel primary coils, which areenergized by the passage of an undulatory or pulsatory current whichinfluences a horizontallyrotatable armature arranged on the vehicle,adapted to travel along said route or line of travel.

The passage of the aforementioned undulatory or pnlsatory currentsthrough the primary coils sets up a magnetic field, which,

by the nature of the currents and the electrical connections, isconstantly changing both in intensity and direction. The field thus setup acts by induction upon the armature or secondary coils carried by thevehicle,

causing said' armature or secondary coils to experience a couple ortorque and rotate, thus 5 propelling the vehicle. 1

It further consists in arranging parallel primary coils which areenergized by the passage of undulatory or pulsatory currents in suchmanner that the armature or secondmetrically opposite sides of itspivotal point.

It further consists in providing means which are influenced by thepassage of the vehicle along the track or line of travel to rendercertain sections of the primary coils operative or inoperative.

It further consists in providing means whereby the induced currents ofthe armature or secondary coil maybe short-circuited or closed tocontrol the rotation of said armature, and, finally, in theconstruction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts, all aswill be hereinafter described, and afterward pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like symbols of reference refer tocorresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings, A indicatesa truck having the usual side bars, axles, track-wheels, brakes,springs, &c., as are common.

Depending from the center bar B of the truck and embracing the axle is aspindleblock 0, upon the downwardly-projecting spindle of which isrotatably mounted the armature D, which is fixed to a sleeve d,surrounding said spindle. The lower end of this sleeve is provided witha flange which is grooved concentrically to receive balls e, which aresupported bya plate E, secured to the lower end of the spindle and heldin place by a jam-nut e, as more clearly shown in the enlarged sectionalview in Fig. 5. The upper end of the sleeve is also provided with aflange, beneath which are arranged balls supported by a cap f, as shownin Figs. 3 and 4.

Fixedly mounted upon the sleeve D is a gear-wheel F, which meshes withgears G and G, loosely mounted upon the truck-axle, and preferablyprovided with ball-bearings, as shown in Fig. 4.

Upon the hubs of gears G and G are arranged one member of a clutch H,the other member of said clutch being slidingly arof a feather or otherlike construction. The

ary coils on the vehicle is influenced on diaranged on the truck-axlethrough the medium axle members of this clutch are provided with groovedcollars, in the grooves of which are seated fingers to slide saidmembers, at the same time permitting their rotation. (See Fig. 4.) Thismeans for operating the sliding members of the clutch extends from oneclutch to the other on the same axle, as illustrated by the bar I,Fig. 1. This bar is preferablyprovided with pins 1', which operate inslots in the ends of a frame I, secured to the center bar B of thetruck. By this arrangement the lateral movement of the sliding membersof the clutch is limited or controlled.

To actuate the bar I, and through it the sliding members of the clutch,I extend up through a slot in said bar a rock arm or finger j, which ismounted or arranged 011a rockshaft J, journaled in suitable bearingsdepending from the center bars of the truck. At the ends of thisrock-shaft J, I arrange any suitable means for partly rotating saidshaft, which means may be in the form of a lever, miter-gears, &c.

The armature D in theconstruction shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive,rotates horizontally on the spindle-block. This armature consists of alaminatedbody or core K, which is traversed by induction rods L,preferably arranged radially in this form of armature, there being anumber of said rods disposed through the laminated core. The ends ofthese rods are mounted in frame-plates M and N, the former being theoutside plate and the latter the inside. These plates are suitablyinsulated from each other, as shown in Fig. 5, and preferably securedtogether by insulated bolts m. Plates M and N are provided with acentral conically-shaped opening to receive a short-circuiting plug 0,which is slidingly mounted upon the sleeve on the spindle. This plug,when it is raised out of contact from either of the plates, breaks thecircuit between the plates or opens the secondary circuit, but when saidplug is forced down it is wedged in the opening formed by the twoplates, and in this manner short-circuits the induced currents of thearmature or closes the secondary coils.

To operate the plug 0, I groove the same near the top, in which groovefits an internal flange on a ring 12, which ring is mounted upon arms P,guided in their vertical movements by suitable ways on thespindle-block. The upper ends of these arms embrace cams q, mounted on arod Q, journaled in suitable bearings on the center bar of the truck.Suitable means are provided to rotate this cam-rod Q, which therebyraises and lowers the plug of the armature.

The language of the above description is applicable to but one armatureand its associate parts. I have shown two armatures mounted on the truckshown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, which armatures, their plugs, and theirclutches are operated from a common medium. It is obvious that, ifdesired, more ar- 7 matures may be mounted upon the same truck and beoperated from the same operating means, such, for instance, as mountingthree armatures on a six-wheel truck.

Located in juxtaposition to the armatures or secondary conductors andalong the route or line of travel of the vehicles are primaries, which,when energized, produce a field for the armatures. These primaries, asshown in Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8, are composed of two parallel laminatedcores which are embedded in the road-bed of the track,said road-bedconsisting, preferably, of asphaltum or other like substance.

The cores illustrated in Figs. and 6 are wound with coils at suitabledistances apart, said coils being connected so as to be adapt-- ed to athree-phase alternating current generated at some suitable point andconducted through the line-wires 1, 2, and 3, which linewires are tappedto feed the coils at suitable points. As shown, two of said line-wiresare preferably in cable form,the cores of which are of iron,also ofcable form. These cables are arranged within or have strung upon them atdifferent points along their length split boxes 4,with which the cablesare adapted to contact and make electrical connection during thepresence of a magnet or an attracting medium, such as the armature D.Confined within these boxes or blocks and afiording a seat for thecables are pieces of insulation 5, upon which the cables normally restwhen they are not in contact with the boxes or blocks. Upon the approachof a magnet or during the presence of an attracting medium, such as thearmature D, the iron cores of these cables are influenced and raised soas to enable the feed-cable to contact with the blocks and thusestablish an electrical circuit through the wires and coils which areconnected to said blocks and the remaining line wires. The direction ofsuch a circuit is illustrated in the upper part of Fig. 6, where we willassume for a given instant of time the cable 1 is the feed-cable, whilethe remaining cables 2 and 3 are return-cables. The current will passfrom cable 1 to the blocks and through wire 6 to coils 7 and 8. Fromcoil 7 it will go through wire 9 to coil 10 and wire 12 to cable orline-wire 3. From coil 8 it will go through wire 13, coil 14, wire 15 toblock surrounding cable 2, to said cable. Bythis arrangement the primaryat the left-hand side of Fig. 6, which is lettered X, will haveestablished in it a magnetic field. (Indicated by the full-line lettersN and S.) At the same instant that the current passes through wire 6 tocoils 7 and 8, located at the upper portion of the left-hand section cutin, the cur rent also passes from the block on the cable 1 through wire16 to coils 17 and 18, located in the lower portion of the section cutin on primary at the right-hand side of the sheet. From coil 17 thecurrent passes through wire 19 to coil 20 and through wire 21 to cable2. From coil 18 the current passes through wire 22 to coil 23 and wire24 to main line 3. By

primary at the right in the direction indi:

cated by the dotted arrows. It will be noted in this connection that thepoles will be shifted in the direction of the large arrows at the bottomof the figure, that is, in opposite directions, as indicated by theletters N and S.

in dotted lines. At the next instant, when cable 2 becomes thefeed-cable and 1 and 3 the return-cables, the current will pass in anopposite direction from that indicated by the full-line arrows,and willshift the poles again, this time the south pole being where the northpole was when cable 3 was a feed-cable, and the north pole being wherethe south pole was in that event. It will thus be seen that a shiftingmagnetic field is set up in each of the primaries, the poles of whichare being shifted constantly and successively in the direction indicatedby the large arrows, or in opposite directions.

It will be understood that the current only sets up a magnetic fieldaround that port-ion of the cores and conductors which are connected tothe blocks or block with which the cables 1 and 2 are in contact. Uponthe passage of the vehicle over the sections so energized the cablesfall by gravity out of contact, and such sections behind the vehicle arecutout. In this manner the cross-section of the feed-cables may begreatly reduced.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown a slightlymodified form of primarywinding, in which 25, 26, and 27 indicate the feed-wires and \V and Zthe two primaries. Instead of depending upon the elevation of one of thefeed-cables to make the contact for certain, sections, I arrange withina section, as I have termed it, a switch S, which preferably has threeblades or arms, making and breaking circuits with as many terminals.These switches are operated by an arm pivoted in a suitable framework,which arm has arranged upon its end a magnet s, the magnets of theseveral switches being, preferably, in series and constantly energized.To operate the switches, I suspend from the vehicle an iron bar or rod'1, which may be lowered or raised by means of the arm or arms uponwhich it is hung. Upon the approach and during the presence of this armT in proximity to the magnet 5 said magnet is elevated, forcing theblades of the switch to make contact with the terminals which theycontrol, thus completing the circuits through the section in which saidswitch may be located. When the vehicle, upon which the iron bar T ismounted, passes on,

the switch-blades are elevated, so as to break the circuit in thatsection in which it is located, said elevation being accomplished by aspring .9.

Assuming the upper section in Fig. 8 to have been cut in, and that for agiven instant of time the feed is through wire 25, while lines 26 and 27act as return-cables, the current will pass through wire 28, coil 29,located in the upper portion of the section on primary Z, wire 30, coil31, located in the lower portion of the section on primary IV, wire 32,coil 33, through the switch terminals 34, coil 35, through wire 36 toline-wire 26. At the same instant the current will pass from main line25 through wire 27 to coil 38, switch terminals 39, wire 40, coil 41,wire 42, coil 43, wire 44, coil 45, and through wire 46 to the feed-wire27. When the other main lines 26 and 27 energize the coils through theirrespective circuits for their given instant of time, there will beestablished in the primaries IV and Z a succession of polar waves,substantially the same as those developed in primaries X and V.

In the above description I have assumed that the directions of theprimary currents are in the nature of a continuous current interruptedand reestablished in the order given; but it is well understood thatthree alternating currents differing in their phase angles of onehundred and twenty degrees,or two alternating currents having theirphase relations of one hundred and eighty degrees, (which wouldnecessitate a slight change in connections,) would accomplishpractically the same results, that is, the shifting of the poles alreadydescribed would be propagated along the primaries.

I am aware that many minor changes in the construction, arrangement, andcombination of the several parts of my invention may be made andsubstituted for those herein shown and described without in the leastdeparting from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. An electric transportation system, consisting of a route or line oftravel, a vehicle which is adapted to travel along said route, ahorizontally-rotatable armature on the vehicle for propelling the same,and a primary arranged along the route for influencing said armature;substantially as described.

An electric transportation system, consisting of a route or line oftravel, a vehicle which is adapted to travel along said route, ahorizontally-rotatable armature on the vehicle for propelling the same,and parallel primaries arranged along the route. upon each side of theaxis of the armature; substantially as described.

3. An electric transportation system, consisting of a route or line oftravel, a vehicle which is adapted to travel along said route,

a horizontally-rotatable armature on the vehicle for propelling thesame, a primary or primaries arranged along said route for rotating thearmature by induction, and means on the vehicle for short-circuiting orcontrolling the induced currents of the armature; substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination with a primary element which is energized byalternating currents of difierent phases, of a laminated armaturelocated in proximity thereto, said armature being adapted to be rotatedby induction, induced-current conductors in the armature, and a plugslidingly mounted upon the armature-shaft, which plug normallyshort-circuits the induced-current conductors, said plug, whenwithdrawn, breaking the circuits through the induced-current conductors,and causing the armature to cease rotating; substantially as described.

5. The combination with a truck, of an armature mounted on the axlethereof but rotating at an angle to said axle, and means for drivingsaid axle in either direction from the armature; substantially asdescribed.

6. The combination with a truck, of an armature mounted on a spindledependent from the axle, a gear on the armature, gears on the axle whichmesh with the armature-gear, and clutches for engaging or disengagingsaid axle-gears with or from the axle; substantially as described.

7. The combination with a truck, of an armature mounted on the axlethereof and r0- tatiug at an angle to said axle, means for driving theaxle from the armature, clutches for controlling said means, a rod foroperating the clutches, a plug for short-circuitingthe armature and acam-rod for operating the plug; substantially as described.

8. In a system of electric transportation, the combination with aplurality of primaries located in a route or line of travel and throughwhich are propagated alternating electric currents of different phases,of a vehicle adapted to travel along said route, and a rotatorysecondary member arranged in inductive relation to the said primariesand adapted to engage with the propelling mechanism of said vehicle,said primaries and secondary being so disposed that the secondary shallexperience a couple or torque which will rotate the same; substantiallyas described.

9. In a system of electrical transportation, the combination with ,aplurality of primaries located in a route or line of travel and throughwhich are propagated alternating currents of difierent phases, of avehicle adapted to travel along said route, a horizontally-rotatable secondarymember mounted upon the vehicle and arranged in inductiverelationship to the primaries, said primaries being located on oppositesides of the axis of the secondary member; substantially as described.

10. An armature which is adapted to be rotated by an induced current,said armature consisting of a laminated core through which are arrangedradially-disposed induced-current conductors, an outer inclosing platein which one end of said conductors are received, an inner plate forreceiving the other ends of the conductors, and a slidable plug forshortcircuiting the two plates; substantially as described.

11. An electric transportation system, consisting of a route or line oftravel, a vehicle which is adapted to travel along said route, ahorizontally-rotatable armature on the vehicle for propelling the same,a primary arranged along the route for influencing the armature, andmeans for energizing the primary during the presence of the vehicleonly; substantially as described.

12. An electric transportation system, consisting of a route or line oftravel, a vehicle which is adapted to travel along said route, ahorizontally-rotatable armature or secondary member on the vehicle, anda primary arranged along said route in inductive relationship to thearmature or secondary member on the vehicle, said primary being composedof parallel cores which are divided into sections, terminals in saidsections which are normally out of contact with the feed-wires, andmeans for cutting in said sections during the proximity of the vehicle,said sections being automaticallycut outupon the departure of thevehicle; substantially as described.

13. In a system of electric transportation, the combination with aplurality of primaries located in a route or line of travel and throughwhich are propagated alternating electric currents of difierent phases,of a vehicle adapted to travel along said route, and a rotatorysecondary member arranged in inductive relation to the said primariesand adapted to engage with the propelling mechanism of said veh cle,said primaries and secondary being so disposed that the secondary shallexperience a couple or torque which will rotate the 'same, and means forcutting in sections of the primaries during the presence of the vehicleonly; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature, in presence of twowitnesses, this 27th day of September, 1895.

PHILIP K. STERN.

W'itnesses:

F. R. CORNWALL, HUGH K. WAGNER.

